Making the dual roles—being a social media influencer and a gymnast—a reality, Olivia Dunne‘s successful year comes to an end. Apart from her growing online stature, her romance with LSU star Paul Skenes gained them much popularity. Since going public in August, the collegiate power couple has shown titbits of their lives—like most recently a snap of Skenes making dinner over social media.
However, both LSU athletes are true professionals with commitments being a priority. In similar spirits, a long-committed NIL brand returned to the campus involving their personalized cartoon avatars.
Olivia Dunne receives an amusing surprise
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A while back, Olivia Dunne and her fellow LSU teammates including roommate Elena Arenas signed the first-ever gymnastics NIL memorabilia at Leaf Trading Cards. While the hype surrounding the brand’s newest collection enveloped the campus, after practice, a friend of Olivia’s who attended the exhibition sitting in LSU indoor stands drew a unique sketch of Olivia and Paul which she shared on Snapchat story. Despite a casual draw during the event, it didn’t miss a single detail on the love birds. The LSU Gymnastics Collection of memorabilia featured a wide variety of autographed items signed by Dunne, including trading cards, photos, and a limited-edition LSU leotard.
Skenes who garnered attention after turning in standout performance during his final season at LSU, and the Pirates selected him first overall in the 2023 MLB draft first celebrated this accomplishment in 2019 when his first card came out. Leaf Trading Cards released a special tweet introducing Paul Skenes’ brand-new card, “2023 LEAF METAL CONTINUUM AUTOGRAPH PAUL SKENES.” Meanwhile, this wasn’t Dunne’s first signed card with Leaf as part of NIL deal.
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Dunne’s first trading cards
Being the most followed collegiate athlete the previous year has cemented her reputation in the NIL space securing Leaf Trading Cards’ deal. Dubbed the “first gymnastics NIL trading card the world has ever seen,“ the $89.99 autographed trading cards mark a significant advancement in collegiate sports collectibles. The partnership honored Dunne’s renown by releasing a special “made to order” card.
READ MORE Olivia Dunne Shows Off NIL Advantage in Major Surprise for Teammates
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Trading card promotions entered a new era for the industry as Leaf Trading Cards led this unique intersection of athleticism, social media aesthetics, and collectibles with Dunne. A trailblazer who changed the collegiate athletics throwing light at its endless scope, Olivia continues to juggle her commitments. While the most important role of gymnast, awaits her on the season opening meet on January 5.
Watch this story Olivia Dunne’s Rookie Day With Cam In Sports Illustrated